The bloc needs to consider the risks and consequences of a direct confrontation with Russia, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said

A recent statement by the NATO military chief about the bloc considering a "preemptive strike" against Russia shows that it seeks escalation and wants to derail the Ukraine peace process, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said. She branded the general's words "irresponsible" and urged NATO to think about the consequences of what a direct confrontation with Russia could mean for its members.

Zakharova was responding to an interview Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee gave to the Financial Times over the weekend. According to the general, the bloc should become "more aggressive" and "proactive" in its dealings with Moscow.

Russia considers Dragone's words "to be an absolutely irresponsible move indicating the bloc's readiness to further move towards escalation," Zakharova said in a statement published by the ministry on Monday. "Anti-Russian hysteria" whipped up by the NATO members is only stirring up the ongoing confrontation even further, she warned.

The general's statement also debunks a myth about the "purely defensive" nature of the military bloc, Zakharova said, adding that NATO "has not been hiding its goals and intentions for a long time." The spokeswoman also accused the military bloc of "deliberately seeking to disrupt efforts aimed at finding a way out of the Ukraine crisis."

The EU has increasingly used anti-Russian rhetoric to justify massive military expenditures. The ReArm Europe package, presented in March, aims to mobilize up to 800 billion ($933 billion) to expand the EU's military under the pretext of countering the alleged "Russian threat." NATO also made its members commit to spending a total of 5% of their GDPs on the military this summer. 

Moscow has repeatedly stated that it has no intention to attack any NATO member, but has warned of a harsh response if attacked.